Quinn to review major decisions made by Blagojevich

Declaring that his new administration is “ready to move forward,” Gov. Pat Quinn sketched out plans to focus on government reform and state finances, and he asked Illinoisans to pray for him.

Adriana Colindres

Declaring that his new administration is “ready to move forward,” Gov. Pat Quinn sketched out plans to focus on government reform and state finances, and he asked Illinoisans to pray for him.

“This is probably the most trying, difficult time in the history of our state,” he said, citing the country’s involvement in two wars and the state’s fiscal troubles.

At a State Capitol news conference Thursday, Quinn said he will ask the legislature to let him deliver the governor’s annual budget address a month later than planned, on March 18.

Quinn said he and aides would do “fact-finding on fiscal matters” during the next several weeks to get a handle on the state’s financial picture.

Quinn said he’d also review major decisions made by Blagojevich, such as a plan to move the Illinois Department of Transportation from Springfield to southern Illinois, to decide if they should stand.

That also applies to the Blagojevich administration’s plan to shutter the Pontiac Correctional Center, he said.

Quinn made it clear that because of his new job, multiple changes are on the horizon for state government.

More than a dozen shuttered state parks and historic sites that closed Nov. 30 should be reopened “with dispatch,” he said. Blagojevich ordered them closed because of budget problems.

Nature-based and historic-based tourism are the fast-growing growing types of U.S. tourism, Quinn said. The dollars generated by tourism outweigh the cost of running the parks and historic sites, he said, adding that his administration somehow would find the money to reopen them.

“You squeeze a nickel and lose a half-dollar. That’s not smart government,” he said.

Quinn said he will “take a look” at all of the agency heads who were appointed by Blagojevich to decide whether to retain them.

“Everybody will be under review. That’s the way it’s going to be,” he said.

Former state Rep. Kurt Granberg, the recently appointed director of the Department of Natural Resources, might not get to keep that job much longer, Quinn indicated.

“I believe it should be a natural resources professional in the Department of Natural Resources,” he said.

Sustained applause and loud cheers greeted Quinn as he took the oath of office Thursday evening to become Illinois’ 41st governor.

Quinn actually was sworn in twice.

The first time took place in his lieutenant governor’s office to accommodate his younger son, David, who had to leave Springfield to catch a flight to London for work. The second swearing-in occurred about 5 p.m. in the House of Representatives chamber, attracting more than 100 people, including dozens of lawmakers and all of the statewide constitutional officers.

“I want to say to the people of Illinois, the ordeal is over,” he said.

Quinn, who arrived in Springfield on Thursday morning as lieutenant governor, spent much of the day in his Capitol office with his family.

Blagojevich’s speech at his Senate impeachment trial, which called on senators to let him keep his job, “came from the heart,” but was not persuasive, Quinn said.

Quinn directed Illinois State Police to stop providing a security detail for Blagojevich once he returned to his Chicago home Thursday.

Quinn declined to say if he plans to run for governor in 2010.

“This should be the year of governance, where people really work on repairing damage and making things better,” he said. “There’ll be plenty of time for politics in 2010.”

State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias praised Quinn’s ascension to the governorship, saying he has proven his abilities to work well with others and provide “ethical leadership.”

“No one would ever say he’s corrupt,” he said.

Andy McKenna, head of the Illinois Republican Party, offered a more skeptical view about the new governor.

“He came to this role as a teammate of Rod Blagojevich, so that does color his leadership substantially,” McKenna said, referring to Blagojevich’s pairing with Quinn in the 2002 and 2006 general elections. “He was part of the leadership team that’s put this state in a terrible financial situation.”

Adriana Colindres can be reached at (217) 782-6292 or adriana.colindres@sj-r.com.

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